May 16, 2025 – Lansdowne, PA

On May 6th, I had the honor of visiting the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg alongside fellow WPSD staff members, members of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, and School Board Director Jennifer Hoff. We were invited as guests of Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, one of our district’s state representatives. During our visit, we toured the House floor, observed the legislature in session, and met with state representatives, including Regina Young, Gina Curry, and Heather Boyd.

Unfortunately, their outlook on the budget timeline was concerning as, once again, it is unlikely that a state budget will be finalized by the June 30 deadline. For districts like ours, this is the equivalent of being asked to plan an entire year’s household budget, including rent, food, transportation, and childcare, without knowing your income. It is impossible to make responsible decisions when you don’t know how much money you will have coming in and how much you have to spend.

Despite the Commonwealth Court ruling in 2023 that declared Pennsylvania’s school funding system unconstitutional, little progress has been made to address the $24 million adequacy gap identified for our district. For the 2025-26 school year, we are projecting a budget shortfall between $6 million and $14 million. Without adequate and predictable state funding, we are being forced to consider reductions to academic and extracurricular programs, student support services, facility maintenance, and staffing. And, unfortunately, we may have to ask more of our local taxpayers who already carry an inequitable share of the burden in communities like ours.

This is not right. It is not sustainable. And it is not how a state should treat its children. Pennsylvania legislators must act with urgency and integrity to fully and fairly fund our public schools.

While the visit to Harrisburg was inspiring for our students, it also underscored the urgent need for education and advocacy. I urge you to please stay informed and to speak up. Please visit the Education Advocacy page on our website for further details on how you can take action and demand the funding our students deserve. This page will continually be updated with additional information and resources for our community to reference and utilize.

Thank you for standing with us as we continue this critical fight for the future of our children and the schools they deserve.

Sincerely,

Dr. Becoats